Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-05-05


When this truth is firmly impressed
upon the minds of the masses of men, and
labor reaches the level of its full meaning,
there will come about change in indus
trial conditions, contemplated now by but
few thinkers, and before which all the
contention and heat born Of ignorance of
the substructural principles of civilization,
and aggravated by the littleness of dema-
gogues, will vanish.
Proceeding, the Senator shows that, as
employment promotes industry and fosters
enterprise, it is beneficent, and, therefore,
labor in the cooperative relation must be
ennobling. The only and true guaranty
of employment is its proftableness, for
capital does not employ labor at loss.
Cooperative union, therefore, prosecuting
industry, will have the same chances of
success if intelligently directed, for the
product of labor alone insures its employ
ment.
If, then, labor produces that which is
| returned to it as wages, as well as the
margin of profit retained by the employer
organizer, it owes debt of gratitude to
capital for the skill employed in its be-
halt, and which skill is a separate depart
ment of human activity. With the educa-
tional advance of the age, the general in
telligence of the day and the freedom of
labor, why shall it not become its own
employer and its own benefactor?
Whoever, exclaims Senator Stanford,
employs himself renders service to CAPT
ital, and whoever is his own employer, by
reason of industrial capacity, is in posses
sion of capital. The step from this truth
to the question of thorough industrial ed
ueation and manual training, in which
Senator Stanford is now engaged as the
chief of the effort of his useful life, is
short and natural, but we cannot pause to
take it now.
Upon the question of the distribution of
labor product, Senator Stanford holds that,
as wealth is the product of agreement be-
tween capital, employer and labor and
employed, its distribution, when justice is
done, must follow the law of its creation.
1t is not needed that the further conclu-
sion of this syllogism should be given-it is
self-evident. When distribution is attempt
ed by one demanding of another to divide
with him the products of his labor, it is an
assault upon manhood and the right to pro-
duce more than enough for self-sustenance.
All legislative attempts to distribute
wealth have failed, because they destroy
wealth and the productive industries
Now, says he, labor has no need to wait
for Others to employ it; by cooperation it
can hire ITSELF
| Labor demands that the premium to the
employer be small, and thus discourages
the employer class But if there were
no profit beyond wages to the employer
class, cooperation would be practically
realized. The man who hires himself
feels no conflict between his capital and
his labor-nor if he have partner, or ten
of them. But if he employs iourneymen
and pays wages, there is line between
them that may become a disputed one
The Senator points out clearly how CO.
operation, by giving personal interest in
enterprise, lifts up character as response
4 hility .,,oraoeae ,-b;nb - H.
industry. So, too, cooperation will in
crease wages, because the best workmen
| will go to the cooperative associations
| Employers will therefore be driven to offer
higher inducements for the best workers.
Next, the influence of cooperation
| upon the tastes is considered, and its effect
in increasing the wants of men and fur
nishing the means for gratifying them.
As the demand for labor is unlimited, be-
cause the capacity of the human mind to
conceive new wants is also unlimited, he
does not fear over-production from the as
ISOLATED effort of labor Some final words
of the thinker are given to the refining
effects of such association, its stimulus to
industry, its general advancement of the
working classes, and its multiclibation of
wants, and of the ability to respond to
them.
A division of the interview follows, de-
voted to the consideration of the question
Of the causes Of poverty and the disparity
of condition between rich and poor but
we reserve comment upon this portion of
the interview, these remarks having al
ready exceeded contemplated bounds.
| The paper that this interview thus
makes up, is one that will command wide
spread attention, and while it may be ex-
pected that it will develop some adverse
criticism, we venture the prophecy that its
strength will be the more developed by
assault.